1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a manufacturing system for controlling a multiplicity of machine tools forming a group and conveyor means for supplying to the group of machine tools a pallet having a workpiece supported thereon, and, more particularly, to a work setting system for the group of machine tools including work setting means connected to the conveyor means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the advent of automation in the operation of machine tools, there has in recent years been a tendency toward strengthening the control of the rate of operation of machine tools and the circulation of workpieces to be machined. One example of this system of automation is a system wherein a plurality of machine tools are arranged in a line and the machine tools and conveyor means are controlled in a centralized control process. In the centralized control process, the supply of workpieces to conveyor means is effected by setting a workpiece on a pallet which can be mounted on a machine tool and by feeding the pallet with the workpiece set thereon to the conveyor means. When the workpiece is set on the pallet, it is necessary to perform various operations with a high degree of precision for effecting three-dimensional positioning of the workpiece or effecting horizontal positioning, paralleling and centering of the workpiece to the pallet. It has hitherto been customary to carry out a work setting operation manually. Such work setting operation is described, for example, in the Oct. 23, 1967 issue of the periodical "AMERICAN MACHINIST". The work setting system for a manufacturing process of the prior art which has required manual operation of setting works has had disadvantages in that when the workpiece is heavy in weight, the work setting operation required to be practiced with a high degree of precision as aforesaid markedly lowers the rate of operation of machine tools and the operators are forced to engage in hard labor.